Trail Bicycles

After a dry Cross on the Rock cyclocross season to date, there was finally mud—lots and lots of mud—at the series finale CoweX race in Duncan. 

Racers sometimes had to get off and push their bike because the mud was axle deep in some places on course. In addition to great individual performances, CoweX showed a real team effort because when Sam flatted, he had to borrow Eli’s bike and finish the race. Sam toughed it out on a bike that was too small for him to preserve his overall win in the U17 category. 

In spite of (or maybe because of) the mud, it was a fun race and great way to end the CX season and to end my first year racing for Trail Bicycles Team.  Thank you to Trail Bicyles and to all our sponsors.

CoweX Race Results Trail Bicycles Racing Team
Launch: 6th Nico Schum | 23rd Eli Pechter
Intermediate: 10th Sam Schum | 12th Elyas Smith | 19th Ben Pechter | 22nd Alex Racher
Master Women: 11th Sarah Hauser
Open Men: 10th Tom Skinner | 27th Loki Motai
Open Women: 12th Talia McPhail-McGrady
Parents: Kumiko, Brett, Scott, Phil, Dave, Aaron, Megan, Sinead.

Overall Series Standings Trail Bicycles Racing Team
Launch(U13): 5th Eli Pechter | 9th Darragh Whitehead | 16th Owen Racher
Launch(U15): 2nd Nico Schum
Intermediate Men(U17): 1st Sam Schum | 6th Elyas Smith | 8th Ben Pechter | 10th Alex Racher | 19th Gray Tunnah
Intermediate Women(U17): 4th  Annabelle Whitehead
Open Women: 8th Talia McPhail-McGrady
Open Men: 6th Tom Skinner | 22nd Kip Manktelow | 44th Loki Motai

- Ben Pechter

After arriving in Beban Park we were puzzled to find that the course was riding in the opposite direction from years past. After a warm up lap with my brother and dad I watched my brother race in the launch category while I got changed and ready for my race. One more quick warmup lap and I went over to the line to start my race. 

After the straight away I found myself in 4th place behind Elias. I kept fighting my way up and by the second lap I found myself right on 1st place's wheel. I tried overtaking twice but both times failed to make it around before the next corner. At this point we were coming back around to my favourite section on the course, a wet wood chip section with two log barriers. I knew after the second barrier I would be able to overtake him on the inside of the corner but as I jumped back on to my bike I struggled to get back into my pedals. After that 3rd and final attempt to overtake I started to feel my legs and he started dropping me. Coming around the finish on my 3rd lap I was surprised to see we still had 2 laps to go. This was the first time for me that the intermediate race had gone for 5 laps. 

I continued to fight but as my legs got more and more tired the 3 riders behind me started catching up. When one of them passed me I knew I would have to dig deep to hold my position on the podium. Riding through the pinwheel on my last lap I heard Loki (also on Trail Bicycles) catching me so I found one last burst of energy that took me over the finish line in 3rd place. 

I was super happy with my result and was stoked on my first podium in the intermediate category. Congrats to Trail Bicycles team riders who all did well in their races.

- Sam Schum

Muc Off Cup, Bowen Park, Nanaimo - October 9, 2023

It was the third cyclocross race of the season - but it was my first race of the season. The conditions were not the best, it was raining hard the whole time. The course was wet and muddy and also very slippery. Lots of big steep hills and big descents. It started with a long road and then a steep hill to the stair set then some more hills and descents. 

My favorite part was the sand pits and watching people crash on the descents. My least favorite part was the stair sets. 

For Beginner Men: Nico Schum was 2nd, Elliot Pechter was 20th, Owen Racher was 27th, Darragh Whitehead was 37th. In Intermediate Men Sam Schum was 5th, Elyas Smith was 16th, Benjamin Pechter was 31st, Alex Racher was 41st, Gray Tunnah was 50th. In Intermediate Women Annabelle Whitehead was 3rd; in Open Men Kip Manktelow was 17th and in Open Women Talia MacPhail-McGrady was 13th.  

Also good job racing to the coaches and parents.

- Owen Racher

Cross on the Commons, Qualicum Beach - October 1, 2023

Coal Cross, Cumberland - September 10, 2023

The weather was great for the 2023 Coal Cross race, the first cyclocross race of the season. 

At the start of my race I went out a little bit too hard but I was up leading the pack for about a half lap then I started to get passed by all of the faster guys. About half way through I slipped on ”Dog Leg “ but I got back up and kept going.

My favorite part of the course was the quadruple whirly gig thing that Tim made. The part I hated the most was the really bumpy part behind the BMX track where I vomited.

Trail Bicycles Racing did well overall: In Launch, Nico Schum was 3rd, I was 9th, and Darragh Whitehead was 14th. In Intermediate Men, Gray Tunnah was 4th, Sam Schum was 5th, Elyas Smith was 13th, Ben Pechter was 22nd, and Alex Racher was 31st. In Intermediate Women, Annabelle Whitehead was 4th. The dads/coaches also had a good showing, Gavin McPhail raced Super Masters Men and was 24th, Tom Skinner was 5th in Open Men, and lots of the other dads and moms raced for other local clubs.

- Eli Pechter